Specialized Crave Pro vs. Stumpjumper Comp.

Was looking at these 2 at a lbs recently. No test rides or anything just looking. Same price at $2000 but the components are quite different and geometry appears different as well. I mainly ride tight twisty single track made up of hard pack with some roots, gravel, sand and occasional ruts. Im not a racer though its not out of the question and I very rarely leave the ground. Im 6 ft with a 30" inseam and have been told I could ride either a medium or a large "depending" (whatever that means). I would appreciate any input on which one I should be leaning towards.

I ride the same type of terrain you do and just ordered the stumpjumper comp. For me the component mix is more appealing on the stumpjumper. The frame is the M5 aluminum they used to use for their S-Works bikes, and it comes with through axles instead of the standard QR axles.

As for what to steer you towards, it would be a toss up IMO. The Stumpy looks to be made more for racing where the Crave is more for trail riding.

While theyre both XC bikes, the crave is a little more trail oriented. Looks better suited to a 120mm if you ever decide you want that. As far as components, its a toss up. Do you like fox or RS? Sram or Shimano? Based on your description of "twisty singletrack", I'd go crave, as it will offer more playful handling

Ive only had experience with Rockshox and Shimano with a brief ride on a friends bike with sram components. Im not opposed to a change as Im going from 26 to 29 inch wheels anyway so why stop there? For now Im patiently waiting for some decent weather to do some test rides. Would love to hear anyone's experience with either of these bikes good, bad, whatever.

I ride the same type of terrain you do and just ordered the stumpjumper comp. For me the component mix is more appealing on the stumpjumper. The frame is the M5 aluminum they used to use for their S-Works bikes, and it comes with through axles instead of the standard QR axles.

As for what to steer you towards, it would be a toss up IMO. The Stumpy looks to be made more for racing where the Crave is more for trail riding.

Just curious, What color did you get? Im digging the green over the black.

The Crave looks more like something I would buy. I prefer the fork on the Stumpy, but the FOX fork is ok, and the Shimano brakes and drivetrain are better than the SRAM/ Formula on the Stumpy.

Id prefer the Reba over the Fox also but the 100mm, the Shimano drive train and brakes on the Crave kinda sells it for me. Im looking forward to some test rides. What do you mean when you say the Fox is "ok"?

Id prefer the Reba over the Fox also but the 100mm, the Shimano drive train and brakes on the Crave kinda sells it for me. Im looking forward to some test rides. What do you mean when you say the Fox is "ok"?

The Camber is sweet but im not really looking for a fs bike. If I was, Id prob go with an Anthem, Superfly FS or Scalpel but Im a hardtail junkie at heart. Speaking of Superfly's Im also liking the Superfly 6 hardtail. Its cheaper than both of the Specialized yet has very similar components.

Unfortunately the Stache isnt an option cuz the Stache 8 is way over my budget and Im not digging the Recon silver on the 7. Also I really dont wanna go over 100mm so the 120mm is a little much. Im really liking the Superfly 6 though.

Got to test ride a Stumpjumper Comp over the weekend and I hate to say I wasnt too impressed. The cockpit felt very awkward in that I felt too leaned forward yet cramped at the same time also I came to the realization that I pretty much hate SRAM shifters. Unfortunately they didnt have the Crave in my size (19") so that ones still up in the air. Its a shame cuz the shop owner offered me a great deal on the stumpy.

The cockpit felt very awkward in that I felt too leaned forward yet cramped at the same time also I came to the realization that I pretty much hate SRAM shifters.

Did you try to flip the stem to positive? I ran mine negative for a while and, while it looks neat and all, I ended up liking the bike with a low-rise bar and a 5deg rise 80mm stem.... I am on a Med, and 5'11" and have a Thomson setback post and feels pretty good.

Did you try to flip the stem to positive? I ran mine negative for a while and, while it looks neat and all, I ended up liking the bike with a low-rise bar and a 5deg rise 80mm stem.... I am on a Med, and 5'11" and have a Thomson setback post and feels pretty good.

I did not. I didnt want to bother the shop owner with changing up the cockpit just for a test ride. If I was absolutely interested in the bike than I probably would have. Unfortunately it was the components that didnt help much either. Really dislike those SRAM shifters.

Been riding since 1987; started with a 36 pound Specialized Rockhopper with a classic "Bio-Pace" drivetrain. Picked up a 1990 DB Ascent and upgraded to all XT, that was a sweet ride, in fact still have it as my "beater bike". Later in the 90's picked up a Klein Attitude, Klein Fervor and a Klein Mantra Comp. Had great fun riding and upgrading parts as my budget allowed. Over the years, biked quite a bit throughout the San Francisco Bay area and South Lake Tahoe. Became more of a casual rider by the mid 2000's. I have especially enjoyed my Klein's. Gave the Attitude to my oldest son, kept the Mantra and the Fervor became my main ride due to the light weight and the mods added over the last 20 years. With retirement coming up I have decided to go back to riding more frequently. Truthfully I have not kept up (my subscriptions to MBA expired years ago) on MB tech and only just began keeping up with the latest trends and have been somewhat surprised by all of the evolutionary changes in MTB since the 90's and even 2000's: 29 inch wheels, 650b, wide handle bars, new geometries, tubeless, improved disc brakes, carbon fiber everywhere....of course tons of debate on whether or not MTB has become nothing more than a "niche hobby" and Road Biking now rules the day. Fine with me, less crowded on the trails! Just kidding. But in that light, I ended up buying a 2015 Specialized Crave Pro. Klein's of course are no longer made and I did not want to go with Trek. I did look at the Santa Cruz Highball but decided on the Crave Pro. I liked the Stumpy and the 'Dales, but ultimately felt the best bang for the buck would be the Crave Pro. I am 5'7, 165 lbs and decided on the small frame. The net result is a 25-26 pound bike, which is more than my 22lb Fervor, which is also fine with me. I do like the Carve's less stretched out trail geometry (better for older backs). Due to heavy rains, I have not had an opportunity for a trail ride, so I look forward to posting my off-road take on the bike. I HAVE ridden round the paved streets in our neighborhood (we live up in the Bay Area hills) and was impressed by the climbing and speed on the flats. Not quite the rockets my Klein's were, but up to speed the Carve can move! Cornering is not as tight as I thought it would be, but that could because of my inexperience with the 29 inch wheels and the Crave's geometry. Will need more actual on trail good old NorCal fire road practice. Would enjoy hearing from fellow Crave/Carve riders: riding experience, handling tips, and mods you can recommend. It feels good to begin riding more extensively on the trails again and even to start "wrenching" my rides.

I also just bought a 2015 Crave Pro, unfortunately I can't pick it up until tomorrow. I was thinking a putting a set of panaracer rampages on it for the added late winter/spring traction, I know it will be a little slower, but should be able to climb anywhere and soften the ride some.

I'm a noob on the site, just found it and joined. I'm fairly new the the mtb world, starting riding last summer and now am looking to buy a bike this spring. Was looking at a rockhopper but after looking and researching more I think a Crave is what I'll end up with, looking at the base 29er, fits my budget and I think it will be a good start. Anybody else have this model?

I too was looking at the rockhopper, the evo model with slacker headtube and seat tube angles. After research I decided to get the crave pro with better shocks and brakes would fit my riding style. Also, comparing the Crave to other manufacturers, the crave was better spec'ed for the price. If you can swing it, I would upgrade to the Crave Comp so that you get shimano brakes and the better shock. From a local bike shop you should be able to get $200-300 off of MSRP. Good luck

Rains finally subsided. Took new 29'er Crave Pro out for its maiden ride. One of my fave loops in the SF Bay Area: fast fire roads, some steep climbs, some technical terrain, tight blind fast corners, etc. Not too much mud. Holy Jeebus! Having ridden my fine Klein Mantra Comp and Fervor for the past 20+ years, I was pretty biased. I figured I would not find anything as sweet as my old now "vintage" rides. I was shocked. I am now older but fit and there are sections which I always remember being challenging on my 26inch dualie and hard tail. I cleaned steep sections with what almost seemed like 3/4 effort. Fast sweeping corners were handled with a little alternating front/rear brake action, downhill sections were almost too fast, given the improved lack of rolling resistance, ruts and even large "thunk" trail holes were rolled through as if they were not even there. Didn't even have to bunny hop. Short steep climbs were handled with the big ring and mid #7 rear ring; the thing I was pleasantly surprised by was how this big bike responded to my body language and arm movement. It actually seemed more lively than my 26'ers. The Crave Pro did exactly what I wanted it to do whenever I needed it: dig in the rear wheel, weight the front, turn in with rear wheel bias, I felt like my bike handling skills had actually improved. This didn't seem to make any sense to me given the bigger wheels. Obviously Specialized and other frame designers figured out the geometry necessary to make 29'ers feel "just like a 26'er" but a 26'er on steroids. Honestly, all of the hype around these bikes seemed like hype to me. I still bought a new 29'er just because the old Kleins are getting up there in age and I do worry about frame fatigue, both have been in some fairly good trail crashes over the years. The time seemed right to purchase a new bike. Given the quality of the mixed group , the wonderful M4 frame, geometry (slightly more upright and less "racer" than my all out Kleins), good lbs service and great price, the 2015 Crave Pro was the best bang for the buck in alum. "metal matrix" frames. At any rate, I can't wait to take the Crave out again. Maybe this was all just me feeling excited about riding a new bike, but I don't think so. These 29'ers are the real deal. It's true, not sure if I could ever go back to a 26'er, and I love my old bikes, too. Sigh. Oh, one more thing, the 2015 Crave Pro only comes in "dirty white" or whatever its called. Beautiful, BUT I had to wipe it down when I got back, grease, dirt, and mud just shows up way too easy. I would definitely reccommend this bike or any similar 29'er. Whew.